Lily's Secret
by AlbertaRose
Summary: Severus raced to Godric's Hollow the night Lily died. He may have found more than just Harry. Perhaps even another reason to keep fighting the good fight. Rated T for some gruesome bits.
1. Chapter 1

This plot bunny came from two ideas really. The first is the cover picture, that I found on Facebook recently. And the second is my boss baby, who seems to enjoy creeping us out with a similar movement.

DISCLAIMER: JK is our queen. This is born from her ideas, i am but her loyal subject. And I mean no disrespect at all ;)

* * *

Severus could hardly take in his surroundings. The cottage, of which only five minutes ago he was denied the existence of, was in shambles and yet he charged in.

Just past the broken front door, lay a man with dark hair, a man he had loathed most of his life. It was very recent, their mending of fences, so tentative, they had never been alone in the same room without cursing each other. And yet, he could feel the tears start to push their way out of his eyes.

He passed quickly through the tiny cottage, spotting the remnants of a happy if sheltered existence the small family had led, for the past year. Toys on the floor, a knitting project, thrown on the couch, half a meal still left on the table. He rushed past it all, to the stairs that he began to climb two at a time, his sallow cheeks now soaked.

The landing at the top of the stairs had three doors, but he did not hesitate. Only one was open, burst off its hinges, revealing the child's bedroom within. He could hear the screams of the baby boy, still in his crib, but he did not pause at the sight of little Harry. His eyes found Lily though. They always found Lily.

Sprawled out on the floor, off to one side as if she had been kicked, her beautiful green eyes wide and vacant. He could not help the sob that escaped him, as he threw himself next to her and gathered her up in his arms. He had given everything up to save her and everything had not been enough. He had not been able to protect Lily Evans. He thought as he sobbed over her, clutching her to him. She was still warm, it could not have been very long since the Dark Lord had gone. He tried to pull her closer when he realised her odd shape. Her middle was round. Very round.

Round with child.

Through the tears that continued to flow, Severus stared for a moment at her baby bump. Voldemort had killed a pregnant woman. Even Severus, who had been known for his depth in the Dark Arts, knew a line had been crossed. Not even he, on anyone's orders, would have taken two lives at once, in such a horrible fashion.

That was when the bump changed. A small rise appeared, moving across under Lily's sweater.

Severus gave a start, his sobs stopping at once, adrenaline kicking in as he pulled his wand, and lay Lily's head back down. He did not think about what he was doing, he just moved , as if this is what he had been planning all along. He lay a hand on Lily's stomach, feeling the bump and gasped when a small fist (or was it a foot?) pushed back.

"Diffindo." he said softly, tapping his wand against the bump. Instantly, the sweater and skin burst open, but Lily could no longer bleed. Fresh tears appeared, but Snape stayed focused on his task. He dug his hands into her flesh, and found the small body within. Carefully, he pulled.

For a moment, he thought he would be unable to pull the infant out. It was stuck so deep within Lily's still warm womb. He had to rip more of Lily's stomach, tearing at her skin to open the way for the tiny human that then almost fell out into his hands. The baby was not yet full term, he thought wildly, noticing just how tiny the newborn was.

The baby wriggled a little at the newfound cold. It curled in on itself, and Snape cast around for a way to save the tiny thing. It needed to breath, to find air, to join the world of the living its mother had left so recently!

He raised his wand again, holding the baby against him, and pointed, focusing on all the liquid currently sloshing in the infant's lungs.

It took an infinite moment of indescribable fear in Severus' mind, but finally, the baby wailed. A weak cry, like the one of a helpless and dying creature escaped it.

"No. Enough of your family has died today. You are going to stay with me, and you are going to live" he said furiously, as the tears poured down his face again.

He tapped his wand on the umbilical cord, still tying the baby to her mother, muttering the Severing charm again. His eyes, briefly left the baby to search for a blanket, a towel, anything to wrap it in, keep it warm, and instead fell on Harry, in his crib, still crying.

Snape stood slowly, and took a blanket from the crib.

"Hagrid will be here soon, " he told the boy, knowing full well that the one year old could understand him no better than his sibling could.

Carefully he wrapped the infant in the cloth, keeping it as close to him as he could. As he did, he took the time to inspect the infant.

It was a baby girl, he realised with a start. A tiny, fragile, impossible baby girl. He noticed her little breaths, coming in pants, and raised his wand a third time, focussing on a charm usually used for treating those who've had the wind knocked out of them, to renew regular breathing. She responded immediately, her breathing evening out and her eyes opened to stare at him.

She had no hair at all, black or red, and her eyes were still the dark blue of birth. But her tiny face, as underdeveloped as it was, revealed her parents. Lily was there, in the pout of her lips, he thought, and James… he hated to see it and even more to admit it, but James was there in her nose, long like his.

The baby now swaddled as best he could (he had after all, next to no experience with babies, and especially premature newborns) Snape laid her for a moment in his arms before looking up at the love of his life, or what was left of her.

Amazing that he had spent the last ten minutes in the same room as her without glancing at her once. Her blood was now staining the carpet, her eyes always staring emptily at the ceiling. He swallowed another sob, and reached a hand to her face, caressing it gently.

"I wasn't enough for you Lily. But I promise. I'll protect her with everything I have. Absolutely everything."

With one final glance at Harry, whose features were so like the man he detested, he clutched the baby girl closer and left.

He quickly realised travelling with the baby would be difficult. He decided it was probably not in her best interest to Apparate. So he had set off on foot, watching the skies. He heard more than saw, the big motorcycle fall from the sky, and heard Hagrid's deep voice in the night, but he did not stop. The baby had been relatively quiet since her birth, though she wriggled against he hands almost without pause.

He tried to think about what to do next. His knowledge of children was so poor he did not know which way to turn. Perhaps he should get her a bottle, or maybe she wanted a nap? He needed to get her out of the night air, it was cold, but maybe the fresh air was good, he did not know…

Furious with himself and hating the fact he did not know what to do or where to go, he pause at the corner of the street. He tried to come up with a plan, focussing on what he did know.

He needed to get back to the school. He needed to tell Dumbledore, he had saved Lily's daughter. And he needed to find help, to take care of her.

He looked down at the bundle in his arms. The baby girl was still wriggling, her mouth open, though no noise came out. A moment later, it was closing like she had yawned. Maybe she had? Her eyes were closing again, she stopped moving so much. Panicking, he swore loudly.

"No! Don't you dare die on me too!" he hissed, and throwing caution to the wind, he twisted into nothingness.

A second later he was at the gates to the school. He glanced down immediately but needn't check that the baby was still alive, for as soon as they had landed she let out an almighty wail.

For such a tiny thing, she could scream. He tried to hush her best he could, while opening the gates, and hurrying up the lane to the front doors.

She did not calm down, and somewhere inside him, he felt a little reassured. She was fighting, she was screaming. This was surely better than the alternative.

He met McGonagall at the front door.

"Severus what…"

"Can you help? I don't know what to do!" He said, his voice hoarse from all his recent crying. She nodded and held her arms out to accept the tiny girl. With what he could only describe as an expert hand, she began to rock the infant against her breast.

"There now, you're alright. Its ok, you're safe now." She cooed softly. Within moments, the infant had calmed to small, sobbing breaths.

For a moment, Severus could only stare. He had not expected Minerva McGongall to know what to do with a newborn.

"How…"

She glanced up at him suddenly.

"I have eight nieces and nephews if you must know." She said with a smirk that might have been pride. Her attention turned back to the child. "Where is it from? Whose is it?"

For a moment, Severus considered telling her the truth, that the baby was Lily's, that he had saved her life, everything. But only for a moment.

"She was by the gate, I heard her wail, and went looking." Minerva glanced up at him.

"She, is it? Are you sure it's a girl?" He nodded, simply because he did not think that his voice would hold.

"Well, she is tiny then. I mean, I've never seen a baby so small. Let's get her up to Poppy, she'll know what to do."

In all the flutter of panic, he had not thought about the Hogwarts matron, but he was grateful Minerva had. He followed, unwilling to let the child leave his sight.

Within a few hours, Madam Pomfrey had conjured a small crib in her ward, given the baby a bottle of warm milk, as well as a potion to promote growth, and a bath. She had immediately declared the baby tiny as well, definitely premature, but in relatively good health.

"She is a fighter, if she has survived this long after being born." She had said as she put a diaper on the baby before swaddling her in a new clean blanket, before lowering her into the crib. "I'll keep her here for a few days, just to make sure she's alright. And we will need to tell Dumbledore. Though I daresay he has quite a bit to deal with right now."

Severus sat down next to the crib, his chin resting on his hands, observing the child, asleep. For such a tiny thing, she certainly was adept at holding his attention. He was thinking about what to do.

He could keep the child. He could protect her and keep her and raise her. He did not know yet if her true identity could be revealed to anyone other than Dumbledore. He did not know if she was more like Lily or more like James. As much as he hated to admit it, half of the girl before him had come from James. He suddenly wished he could stop hating James Potter as much as he did. If only he could forgive the father, he might be more willing to accept the child, to whom his heart already belonged.

He stopped for a moment, and thought about that. She had his heart. Suddenly it seemed like he had not lost everything. He had done all he could to save Lily, and while he had not been able to do that, he had saved her daughter. He had no doubt in his mind that had he not come, the baby would have died, entombed in Lily. He had saved her life, given her the chance to live. It was an amazing thought, that he, who had taken and lost so much, might have just done a proper, good action for the first time in a very long time. And if it was to be such an action, let it at least be for Lily, he thought miserably.

Minerva and Poppy had left, and yet could not find the strength to leave. He could see the sky outside the window turning from inky blackness, to royal blue, killing the night that had taken Lily Evans from him.

He found he had no more tears to cry. He leant his head against the back of the chair and let his eyes fall shut, as the long day and night finally caught up with him.

He woke only a few hours later, the sunshine now pouring through the windows, and a sharp weight against his shoulder. He glanced up startled.

An owl was sitting on the back of his chair, prodding him awake with his wing. And attached to his leg was a letter.

He hesitated for only a moment knowing who the letter was from.

"_Dear Sev,_

_Thank you for the potion for Harry, it worked like a charm! He slept all the way through last night, no screaming at all. When did you get so good at potions for children? _

_It's still pretty boring here, James hates it, but he knows it's for the best. I know it not easy for you or for him, but I'm glad we're all on the same side. I trust you Sev, and I hope in time, so will James. _

_There is something I want to talk to you about, and James has finally agreed to it. I don't want to put it in a letter in case this goes astray. It's a good thing, something that should have happened a long time ago. I will see you soon!_

_Best,_

_Lily_."

He heart broke again at the words written the morning before she had died. What had Lily wanted to discuss with him? A mystery that had died with her, he thought as fresh tears fell down his face.

He glanced at the still sleeping baby. He would protect her. He would protect her and her identity with every last breath in his body. He just hoped, this time, it would be enough.


	2. Chapter 2

So I was fully expecting this story to just be a first chapter, until I had to know what happens next. I have no idea how long this will go on for, because I have only been writing this as it goes. If you enjoy it, please let me know. A comment is always appreciated!

* * *

It was a full three days before the Headmaster returned to his school, three days during which Severus hardly left the infant girl's side. No one asked him about it, they simply assumed he was attached to the girl, having been the one to find her. He spent most of his time by her crib, staring at her lost in thought, or else learning about a potion or spell to care for her from madam Pomfrey.

It was in the process of learning about a draft to mix in with the milk they had been giving the baby, a potion to help promote growth in the still-too-small girl that Dumbledore found him. Severus looked up for a moment, and he knew this was the moment he had been dreading. Only one other soul knew of his devotion to Lily. Only the man before him knew how deeply and horribly her death could have affected him.

"I'm sure I can take it from here." He said softly to Poppy, who took one look from him to the Headmaster and left. His hands still busy with the potion ingredients, he waited for Dumbledore to start. The silence however, grew longer.

"Severus…" Dumbledore began, his voice quavering. "Whose child is this?"

He waited, trying to find the words, and trying to keep the tears from falling at the same time.

"Minerva tells me you found her by the front gates, the night Voldemort fled. The night Lily died."

A single tear forced its way down his cheek, and he hated his own weakness. He who was a master of Occlumency, could not hide the pain he still felt over Lily's death.

"I went to her cottage that night… " He started softly, putting down the Essence of Rue he had been about to add to the potion. Tears were blurring his vision, he recounted everything that had happened the night he had found Lily's daughter.

Dumbledore listened attentively, at times glancing at the tiny girl in the crib, sleeping soundly, her mouth open. When Severus had finished, silence stretched out again, as the old man thought. Severus wiped his face, took a deep breath and returned to his potion, following the instructions in the book beside him.

"Harry has gone to his aunt and uncle. They are the only family he has left. They have left." Dumbledore corrected himself.

Severus spun around, suddenly terrified that Dumbledore would also take away this girl.

"No! She can't go with the Muggles too! She can't!" he said loudly, but Dumbledore had raised a hand.

"I do not think that she must." He said, his piercing blue eyes studying Severus. "And I see that it would be against your wishes that she be removed from your care."

"I…I…" he suddenly realised what his outburst showed. Turning back to the potion, he picked up the Essence of Rue for a third time, pouring two measures into the small cauldron.

"Since Black's arrest, Harry could hardly go to him. I was also worried about the effects his sudden popularity will have, should he be raised in a wizarding household. But I believe that the girl can stay with the godfather her parents had chosen."

"They had chosen a…" He paused. This was news. He had not known, Dumbledore had had recent contact with the Potters.

"It was not official, as these things aren't until the child is born. However, I know that Lily and James had selected a godfather for the child she was carrying." Dumbledore's gaze was drilling a hole into his back.

Severus should have known that he could not keep the girl. Spies cannot have liabilities, and a girl, a charge was a certain liability, one he knew the Dark Lord could use. And would use. He could not do that to Lily's daughter, to shove her into Voldermort's waiting arms.

"Who is it then? Remus Lupin, the werewolf? Or better, Mad-Eye Moody?" he spat, suddenly feeling his heart racing in his chest at the thought of leaving the baby girl.

"Two worthy candidates, but no. Lily wanted you to be godfather."

Silence followed those words. Severus Snape turned slowly.

"Me?" he asked, as if perhaps he had misunderstood.

"Indeed. And while James had misgivings, he could not deny your help in protecting his family and I believe he was ready to entrust his child to you, should something happen to him and Lily."

His mind could not comprehend it, that Lily, with whom his friend ship had withered only to be revived at the last moment, just before her death, had trusted him so. And James, who had loathed him, was prepared to accept Lily's choice to name him godfather. She trusted him as James had trusted Sirius.

Godfather.

The very word seemed strange attached to him. He looked up to the Headmaster, who gazed calmly back.

"What do you think?" he asked, trying to read an expression on that ancient face.

"I think, that Lily, and James for that matter, obviously made the right choice. Not only have you already saved the girl from a certain death, Minerva tells me you have hardly left her side. I would not dream of removing her from your care."

He nodded slowly, trying to comprehend all that had happened in a few short minutes. The sleeping baby gave a stir. Dumbledore turned his gaze to her again.

"Have you considered a name for her?"

"No…" Dumbledore nodded, turning his gaze back to Severus.

"I know that Lily and James had considered a few names. But it will fall to you to pick one."

"They did?"

"Yes. I had visited them, as they were discussing a selection of names. Lily's family had always named their women after flowers you see. James was certain that she had another boy in her womb. Well, he was bound to be wrong once at least." Dumbledore said with a smirk. "But, Lily had quite liked a few names: Rose, after her mother, Petunia, after her sister, and Ivy after her grandmother."

Severus nodded, absently, glancing down at the bottle of essence of Rue on the table.

"Rue." He said, softly.

"Pardon?"

"Rue. She should be called Rue." Silence fell again, as Severus turned to his new charge.

"Are you sure? It's a sad name…"

"She had a sad birth."

"Indeed. Rue it is then. Hello Rue Potter." He said softly, reached an old hand into the crib, brushing her tiny hand. Rue opened her fist and took hold of Dumbledore's finger. "Yes. It does suit."

"Albus, I wonder about…"

"Her safety? Yes, I suspect that you will be considering a lot about that now." Severus tried to get angry about the smirk Dumbledore had under his mustache, but couldn't because, well, he was very right. Rue's security was something that was definitely worrying him.

"Perhaps we should give her another surname."Severus said softly. "One that does not connect her with the James or Lily."

"Yes. I thought you might say that. What would you suggest?"

Severus thought hard, about something that would connect her to the magical world, without revealing where she had come from.

"Rue Prince." he said, finally. It was the best he could come up with. Giving the girl his mother's pure blood maiden name, a name that had died with her nearly 15 years ago, was the best idea that came to him.

Dumbledore nodded again.

"I assume we are the only ones who know the truth about her origins?" Severus nodded. "Wise. Few people knew Lily was pregnant to begin with. While Harry faces much more evident dangers, what will haunt Rue is more ambiguous. Every child in our world will know the name of Harry Potter."

Severus glanced up at the head master again. He could already see how it would look if he adopted a baby girl. Old Death Eaters, now scrambling into hiding would assume he had gone soft, as well as being Dumbledore's stooge. But it was not the danger to his image he was truly worried about.

No, his worries were deeper. As he had seen with Malfoy, with Nott, with Crabbe, Goyle, and several others, he knew that should the Dark Lord return, as he knew Dumbledore suspected, Rue would be offered up, promised to serve his cause with as much fervency, as much loyalty as her guardian.

If he was truly to be Rue's guardian, he was promising her a double life, one showing two faces to two different sides, in the middle of a war.

What kind of man promises that kind of life for his charge, his child?

And if Voldemort ever got a hint as to her origins, that she was Harry Potter's sister, that she was also from the same blood as James and Lily, she would be in as much danger as Harry, as much at risk of being eliminated by spite.

There may not have been a prophecy made about Rue, as there had been for Harry, but there certainly would be just as much danger in her life.

While he had been so certain a moment ago, that being her guardian was the right thing, that he would not want anything more, now all of a sudden, he worried about his choice, about her future and about how well he would be able to protect her.

Severus sat beside the crib, gazing at her. He remembered his promise to Lily, to protect her with everything he had.

"Voldemort will not be back among us tomorrow." Dumbledore said finally, breaking the silence yet again. "I cannot know when he will. Until then, we have time, to think of a plan, to think of what must be done. We will find a way of protecting her. I have formulated a plan, for Harry. A path. I hope I can still count on your help to protect him as well."

Severus nodded. He knew he must protect Lily's children. They were all that was left of her.

Rue stirred again, opening her eyes, gazing up at the headmaster and her new guardian. Her eyes were no longer the dark blue of birth, they had shifted, into a beautiful hazel, flecked with green and gold. Dumbledore smiled.

"Hello, Rue." She shook a fist and gave a gurgle. Severus grabbed the bottle of milk and hurried to add the potion he had been working on. Then, taking Rue into his arms, he settled into the chair and held the bottle up to her pouty mouth.

"Severus, I confess myself a little surprised. But in a good sense. We will find a way to protect her, a way to make sure she is safe."

"Sir… What protects Potter, I mean, Harry?"

"Several things I believe. Lily's blood for one. By sacrificing herself, she gave him protection, ancient magic, I'm certain Voldemort overlooked. I cannot tell if Rue possess it as well. Only time will tell, I suppose."

"And, what… What can I do to protect Rue." He had wanted to know of a charm, a spell that would forever protect the tiny baby still suckling on the bottle in his arms.

"Severus, no spell can prevent everything. Children cannot learn if they are forever protected. If there were, we would never need to learn anything."

Severus immediately understood what Dumbledore was saying.

"To truly protect our children, our future, we need to teach them to fight for it. We can only give them the tools, the abilities to do what they choose with. It's one of the things I love about teaching." he said with a fond smile.

"I'll teach her everything I know." Severus said.

"I have no doubts that you will. Just remember to teach her values as well. Teach her to learn from your mistakes, Severus."

That cut quite a lot deeper than anything that had been said to him these past three days. He threw a glare at the Headmaster, and it was only the presence of the infant, who decided then to stop sucking and yawn, that kept him in his chair.

"Yes, sir." He said with quite a bit more venom in his voice than was necessary, as he stood and put Rue to his shoulder, patting her small back.

* * *

I would like to clarify the meaning for Rue's name. I labored and researched it. I wanted a flower name and most flowers, in litterature have meanings. so that is why I picked Rue. It was the only name I found that seemed to fit. It is NOT from the hunger games.

Rue means regret, sorrow and repentance, as well as sadness over death.


	3. Chapter 3

I confess. I have no idea where this story is going. I only really imagined her birth. If you have ideas, tho, I have come rather attached and want to write about her rather than work. So please, send in ideas!

* * *

The years seemed to slip by to Severus. Rue lived with him at Hogwarts, in an expansion Dumbledore had made of his private office. He raised her as his daughter, though he had never imagined having children. It was strange, foreign even, but he adapted and did his best.

At first, it had been almost exculsively Severus taking care of Rue. But the other teachers of the school began showing an interest in her as well, and as he could not ignore his own classes any longer, he left her in the care of Minerva. She had spent a whole afternoon she would otherwise have spent marking essays reading stories to the six-month old, who listened to her voice with rapt attention. This arrangement if you could call it that, was soon copied by other teachers. Pomona loved to take Rue on walks through the grounds in a stroller. Filius would watch her as she played around his classroom, charming objects to dance and sing for her, to her great pleasure. And Poppy would always take her when all the others were busy, as well as treating the occasional scrap and cut.

By the time she was a year old, Severus had come up with her story. She was an orphan of the last war, that someone had left on the Hogwarts doorstep. No one knew, save for Dumbledore and himself, who her parents were; everyone else was clueless. It had been decided that Severus should be her guardian, her Uncle Sev, as she learnt to call him. Snape had taken to the child and Dumbledore had allowed her to be raised within Hogwarts itself, deeming it the safest place in the world.

He had refused to tell her about her parents. saying he did not know any more than anyone else, when she grew old enough to ask. It broke his heart to say that, but he had decided to wait until she was older. It was kinder this way, he told himself constantly. He also didn't want her blabbing her orgins before she knew what damage that could do. She did inquire, but as she grew, she develpped a great sensitivity to Severus' moods, and then refrained from asking too many questions when she saw the shadows cross his face.

Severus, though strict, did care deeply for Rue. She had all the perceptiveness and kindness her mother had, as well, (and he still, even now, hated to admit it) James's fierce loyalty. She knew nothing of the horrors of his past, knowing only that he had fought in the war, as had Auntie Minerva and the rest of her Hogwarts family. She regarded him as a girl would her father, her caretaker. He never doubted that she loved him too, and if anything, that strenghthened his resolve to keep her as safe as possible.

* * *

She learnt to cast her first spell at age eight. "Borrowing" her guardian's wand, while he was in class, she had stolen away to her bedroom from Poppy's watchful eye and focused on the Levitation charm, she had seen many many first years learn. It took her a few tries, but soon, her stuffed rabbit was soaring through the room at her bidding. She could hardly contain her excitement.

As soon as she heard his office door close, she ran to great him.

"I can make things float!" She said gleefully. A small smile creept up his face.

"Lets see then." She raised Severus's wand and concentrated hard on the pile of papers he had set down on his desk.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" she said clearly, and the papers rose into the air, floating as she waved the wand around.

"Impressive, Rue. Very good." He gave a small applause and she beamed. "But..." He leant down to her eye level, his black eyes serious. Her smile left. "I cannot allow you to have a wand just yet. Don't steal it again. You are still too young."

She nodded. She had become used to this two faced act. First, pleased, proud even. Then stern, always warning against being in classes, against climbing the Astronomy tower, against kidnapping Mrs. Norris.

"Yes, Uncle Sev." she murmured, her eyes on the floor.

He reached a hand to touch her face. She had grown so much these past few years. She was not a toddler anymore. In a few more years, she would attend classes, because she was on the register, not because she was sneaking in.

Her eyes had stayed that beautiful hazel, reflecting green and gold depending on the light. Her hair was a very dark red, almost like a black rose, or dark cherry wood. She was still small for her age, slight even though she ate very well at most meals, and had retained the same small freakles across her nose that Lily had had. Severus often played the tug of war within himself as he recognised each of her parents in her features. And yet sometimes, she would surprise him with an action that reminded him of himself.

Rue gave a small sad shrug and handed the wand back to her godfather.

"But when will I be old enough. I'm almost nine!" He smirk, though he felt a twinge of fear. Nine years since Lily had died, nine year spent protecting this precious creature. Nine years without a Dark Lord to answer to.

"Don't worry so much Rue." he said straigtening and smiling at her again. "It won't be long before you can have your own, and you can attend Hogwarts for real."

"How long?"

"When you turn eleven. Just like everyone else."

"But that is years from now! I can do the magic they can, I just did!" His eyes hardened and Rue fell silent. She knew a line had just been crossed. Her guardian was always easy for her to read. His eyes bore into her and she cringed a little.

"Enough, Rue. You will be ready soon, but not yet. I don't want you trying to do magic anymore, especially not with a wand." He gave one more long hard look, before softening again.

"Come, let go to dinner."

He let her lead the way out, noticing the slump in her shoulders. He knew it was hard. He could remember, as if it was yesterday, the hours spent with Lily, telling her of the magical world, practising their still wandless magic. Had they been able to get a wand without getting into trouble they certainly would have, just to practice with. He had known Rue was learning spells and incantations for months, possibly years. What else was there for a young girl to do at Hogwarts? He was a little worried, once she made it to school level, she would find it all too easy.

* * *

Later that week, Rue snuck away once again, and wandered down the Hogwarts corridors. She had grown up here, and she knew them better than most of the seventh years. She had taken to exploring every inch of the castle as far back as she could remember. Today, though, it was with a touch of melancholy she walked along a side passage on the third floor.

She did love her Uncle Sev, and all the other teachers. But they were not parents. It was something she longed for, a real family, with a mother and a father and brothers and sisters. She hardly knew anything about the family she had been born into, only that Uncle Sev had found her because her family had died. There was no point trying to find them, if they were dead. She had learnt not to ask questions about them, at least to Uncle Sev. He always became a little cold when she did.

A noise startled her out of her thoughts. Scurrying into a niche, she hid and watched as two boys, both probably first years by the look of them, both with flaming red hair, came racing around the corner, laughing their heads off. With a surge of horror, Rue realised they were making straight for her hiding place.

The two almost identical boys dove into the niche and their laughs turned to shouts of surprise.

"What are you doing here!?" they said together.

"Hiding, what are you doing here?" She said, glaring back at them. They were much taller than her, and if they were students, then they had wands too. She gulped as she held their gaze.

The two boys paused and studied her for a moment.

"How old are you?" asked the first one, curiously.

"Eight."

"What are you doing at hogwarts then?"

"I live here" The twins (They had to be twins, they were just too similar) just looked confused. Finally one cracked a grin.

"Alright, you live here. I thought you had to be eleven to get into Hogwarts."

"You have to be eleven to be a student at Hogwarts." Rue corrected.

"So you are not a student."

"Not yet."

"Well then who are you?"

Rue felt a little like a cornered animal must feel. They were curious these two. Most of the other students she ahd encountered over the years had brushed her away, not been interested in who she was at all. These were the first.

"My name is Rue." She said, proudly. "Rue Prince."

"Fred Weasley. And George Weasley." The first one said, pointing to his twin. "But we still don't know who you are."

"I'm none of your business."

"Come on. You live at Hogwarts? Have you lived your whole life here?" The first one kept asking, as his twin piled on.

"We have a sister whose your age, she's always wanted to come to Hogwarts, she would be so jealous of you." They gave her identical and simultaneous saucy winks. Rue found herself smiling a little.

"Its pretty boring really. I just end up reading a lot, and hanging around with Uncle Sev, and the other teachers. What?" She asked as the gleeful expressions on her new friends turned to looks of shock.

"Uncle Sev"

"Yes."

"As in Severus Snape"

"Well, yeah."

"You're pulling our wands! Snape's never said anything about a... a what are you exactly, his niece?" She gave them a harsh glare for all that she was worth.

"He's my godfather."

"I don't believe it! He is your godfather yeah, right." George said, the look of mild horror giving away to mirth. Soon they were both laughing.

"I'm surprised you're so clean, it looks like you can get soap near him!"

"Has he been teaching you how to mix poisons? Or dark spells?"

"I bet he is the worst guodfather ever! I mean, he is a horrible..."

"Stop it! Both of you! He is my godfather, and if you say one more bad thing about him, I will tell him about whatever trick it is you two were just putting up in the Trophy room!"

The laughter died instantly. She continued to glare at each twin in turn, determined to defend her godfather to the end.

"Alright. Ok. Snape's alright. And you're his goddaughter." Fred said slowly. George gulped a little hard.

"I think we'd better get going."

Rue suddenly realised they were running away from her, but she still felt angry about their poking, so she kept up her cold stare as they ran up the hall again and disappeared up a stair case. Once she could no longer hear their footsteps, she made her way silently back to her room, muttering the password, lost in her thought.

"Rue, what's wrong?"

So absorbed by her thoughts she was, she had not noticed Uncle Sev sitting at his desk with a pile of papers he was grading. From what she could see, it was the first year papers. He set them aside and motioned to the pouffe next to him. She sat down, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Rue, what happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing important."

"I do not believe that. Come now. What's wrong?"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

"Has someone hurt you?" he said, his eyes suddenly harsh and his voice a little angry.

"No! No... Not really."

"Tell me what happened, Rue." He waited until his charge spoke.

"Why do people judge us?" He studied her a moment.

"Why do you ask?" he finally replied, his eyes still focused on her.

Slowly, she recounted her morning encounter with the Weasley twins, and how they had reacted to finding out who was her godfather and guardian.

"...And I don't really understand it, I mean, I was nice at first until they started saying mean things about you and I couldn't stand it, I would have hexed them if I knew how, I was just so angry, and..."

"Rue." She looked up at her guardian. Snape could hardly believe the young girl in front of him. Her actions reminded him so much of her father and her mother. She had tried to befriend the two boys, just as Lily would have. And she had defended him fiercely, just as Potter would have. He knew he had to be strict, but he could not help but think of the time Avery had poked fun at Potter's mother in first year, and how James had reacted almost the same way Rue had. For the first time in his life, he felt a twinge of what might havebeen pity for Potter, always such a hotheaded prick, but, as with Rue, with the best of intentions. He leaned forward finally, holding Rue's hazel gaze, just like her father's glare had been. He thought his words over carefully before he spoke them.

"The world is a very strange and complicated place." he started slowly. "People do a lot of things, for not always the right reasons. We are forced, more often than not, to learn from our mistakes. And sometime, we inherit problems, that really should not be ours." He sighed a little, before continuing. "People will judge you based on actions I have done, stances I have taken, ideas I might have had. It is not the way things should be, but it is the way they are. There are things I have done, that I am not proud of, lots of things. But I do not regret taking you in. You need to know that."

"I know, Uncle Sev. But what did you do? Why do the students, the twins, not like you? I mean, you're nice to me, and you're a good teacher, you taught me just about everything I know..."

"Thank you, Rue." he said, a small smile creeping up on his face. It was something Lily would have said. "The twins, I believe, carry prejudice against the House of Slytherin. I also find myself disciplining them often in my classes as they are a most disruptive pair." He said a little sourly. He took a deep breath again and straightened his face into a serious expression again. "They will not be the first, Rue. You will always be judged for being raised by me. There will be those who will judge you for the better, and those who will judge you for the worse. It is up to you to show them who you are."

She nodded, glancing seriously up into her godfather's black eyes. They always held secrets, she had known that from her earliest age. Some things are better kept as secrets, was something he often repeated to her.

"Did... did you do bad things?" She said, her voice quivering a little, but her gaze steady. He looked at her for a long moment, as if trying to decide if she was worthy of knowing.

"I did things I regret Rue. And I have done all I can to make up for them."

"Did you say you were sorry?"

"Yes, but sometimes, sorry is not enough." He said softly.

"Auntie Poppy always says to say sorry." She thought for a moment. "Should I say sorry? To the twins?"

"Perhaps it would be a good idea, should you see them again." He said cautiously. He did not think it wise to let reputations build about her before she even started school, the way her brother was. No, best to avoid all alienations.

They sat in silence for a long time. Severus could not believe he was feeling some form of understanding towards his deceased arch enemy. He had hated the way Potter had defended everyone tooth and nail, and yet, the way Rue explained it, it seemed like such and uncontrolable action, something she had to do, something she was not even concious of doing. Potter had always had arrogance as well though, and Rue had none of that. She was a relatively humble girl, considering her talents. She was her parents' daughter, he was reminded of it day in and day out.

Severus forced himself to lay thoughts of her parents aside. He knew he needed to see her as her own self, not as her parents' progeny, even if she was so like them, it scared him sometime. Rue was the one still alive, the one he was fighting for. Harry, too. He would fight for them for Lily. Hell, if only because he made Lily happy, for James too. He went back to his marking, occasionally glancing up at his goddaughter, lost in thought in front of him.

Rue pondered Uncle Sev's words. It was a depressing thought, always being judged for something you had no control over, like who raised you, or where you came from. She also kept replaying the jeers the twins had tossed in her godfather's direction. She had felt in the pit of her stomach a strong need to defend her godfather, to repel the verbal attacks. And she was curious about what her godfather's past was so bad that he would not say.

She made a vow to herself that day. Let people judge her for where she came from, fine. But not once, would she judge anyone on where they came from. She was her own person. Uncle Sev may have raised her, but he did not enchant her, control her or decided what she thought. He would not define her. She would define herself.

* * *

If you have ideas for Rue, please let me know. Again, I don't know where this is going, but this is where my muse has taken me.


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